The Butterfly and Flame Alchemists: War (COMPLETE)

Part Eleven: Two Years Later

            “So how are you these days Aileana?” Winry asked as she checked on the pie.

            “Great,” Aileana leaned back slightly in her spot on the couch, “Roy’s out in the East doing his thing while Rosie and I are out here,”

            “Where’s Russell? Is he with his Grandmother?”

            “Yea, Chris wanted to have him for a weekend or two while they’re finishing up work on her bar,”

Winry pulled out the pie and placed it on the stove to cool, then turned to give Aileana a smirk.

            “So, are you and Mustang thinking about any new additions?”

            “Oh come on Winry,” she blushed and looked away, “what about you and Ed? You two seem to be pretty close,”

Now it was Winry’s turn to blush. Two months after the Promise Day, Edward and Alphonse had returned to the Rockbell’s in their original bodies and Winry’s relationship with Ed seemed to have changed overnight (well, sort of). They seemed to have gotten closer, not to the point where you could exactly call them a couple, but there was defiantly something else there than friendship.

            “Not really,” she sighed, dropping down on the seat across from her, “Nothing ever happens really, it’s like he wants to move closer but stops himself short,”

            “Well he’s certainly not that anymore,” she sniggered, making Winry laugh, “but I know he has deep feelings for you Winry, just give him some time to work through his feelings,”

            “Hey Ana!” Alphonse said as he walked into the room, walking up to her and giving her a hug.

            “Hello Al! How’re you doing? I heard you were on your way to Central soon,”

            “Yep! Brother and I are trying to promote a new theory. Are you going to be heading back also?”

            “No, Roy’s still working in the East and Russell’s with Chris,”

            “Alphonse, could you tell Ed that I’m making some tea to go with the pie?” Winry added.

            “Yes ma’am,” he smiled, then ran out the back door.

Both women stood up and walked to the kitchen to prepare the tea and cut up the pie.

            “And to answer your question Winry,” Aileana smiled slightly, “we have discussed it, but I think right now Roy needs to focus on work. Not to mention Russell is only two; I’m not sure if I’m ready to go back to diapers,”

            “I think you guys should,” Winry smiled as she walked back into the kitchen, “You both just have a glow around you these past two years. You’re just so much happier

            “It’s been tough,” she picked at a loose thread on the couch, “after it was all over we still had the issue of my illness and Russell. There were all the technical things with the government we also had to deal with and it wasn’t easy for Roy with having to deal with all my issues,”

            “But in the end everything worked out,” she looked at her, “And you know that Mustang didn’t mind. He loves you more than the world itself,”

            “Believe me; I know, that’s why he tried to ship me away when the shit was hitting the fan,”

Though two years had passed, the pain of being sent away still tugged at her heart. The only time she had ever been away from her daughter and right about she had gotten her husband back they had to separate again. Before the girls could say anything more, a tired looking Ed walked in after Al from the back door.

            “Is the pie done yet?” Ed complained, “I’m starving!”

            “I see your appetite hasn’t changed Ed,” Aileana laughed as she stood up to hug him, “How are you?”

            “I didn’t realize you were coming to visit today!” he smiled back and returned the hug, “I knew you were coming by, just didn’t know when,”

            “Rosie’s outside with Den if you wanted to see her, but I have a feeling she’ll be back inside in a few minutes once she realizes the pie is done,”

            “So is the Colonel any closer to becoming Fuhrer?”

            “It’s Brigadier General now,” she smiled, “he just got a promotion not too long ago. We’re just waiting for the cabinet to draw up the paperwork and it’s final. You should see him; he grew a little mustache,”

            “Really? The Colonel with a mustache?” he started laughing, pulling up a chair at the kitchen table. Before he could sit down, he was struck in the forehead by a speeding ball and knocked flat on his back.

            “You’re just jealous because you can’t grow one of your own,” a voice said from the doorway.

Looking over, the group saw a uniform clad Roy standing in the bright summer light with a laughing Rosie under his arm.

            “I didn’t know you were coming by!” Aileana smiled, getting up to kiss him as he took off his hat.

            “I thought I’d come back early, surprise you all,”

            “We’re all glad you did,” Winry smiled at them, pulling the pie out of the over, “now how about we sit down and share a little pie with each other?”

            “I’d love that,” Roy wrapped his arm around Aileana’s shoulders directing her over to the table and their extended family.

The End